Scholarly record
ANALYSIS OF SEISMOTECTONIC ACTIVITY OF IONIAN FAULT ZONE, ALBANIA
Abstract
The seismicity of Albania is primarily driven by the collision between the Adria microplate and the Albanian orogen. The Ionian fault zone, located in southwestern Albania, is characterized by NW-SE trending neotectonic thrust faults with oblique components. These faults are predominantly marked by NW extension and include pre-Pliocene overthrust faults subjected to pure compressive stress. Occasionally, these overthrust faults are intersected by NE-SW-oriented thrust faults. The Ionian overthrust fault zone extends over 100 km along the Ionian Sea coast, from Vlora to Konispol. This study analyzes the seismotectonic activity of the Ionian fault zone, using data from 166 earthquakes (4.5 = Ms = 6.6) recorded between 358 and 2024, including six events with magnitudes of 6.6. Notable earthquakes from the last century include the 1931 Qafe e Llogaras (Ms = 6.1) and the 1920 Tepelena (Ms = 6.4) events. A total of 3,837 earthquakes (0.1 = ML less than 5.2) have been recorded during the instrumental period (1970-2024). The most significant earthquake of the 21st century was the Bularati earthquake (ML = 5.2) on May 26, 2000. Seismic activity is concentrated along several fault segments, including Vlora-Qaf- e Llogaras-, Borsh-Kardhiq, and Pilur-Ku--Nivic--Tepelen-. Focal mechanism solutions for 54 earthquakes indicate predominantly reverse fault motion with a strike-slip component, reflecting compression along the SW-NE axis. The Ionian fault zone presents a significant seismic hazard, with potential future events up to Mmax 7.0. This study aims to enhance understanding of the region's seismotectonic framework.
Publication Impact Profile
Publication details
References15
Mu�o B., Focal Mechanism Solutions for Albanian Earthquakes for the Years 1964�1988, Tectonophysics, The Netherlands, vol. 231, pp. 311�323, 1994, ISSN 0040-1951, DOI: 10.1016/0040-1951(94)90284-4; https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(94)90041-8
Gjuzi O., Mu�aj D., Turhan F., Ormeni Rr., Hoxha I., Bozo Rr., Gega D., MTI Catalogue of Earthquakes that Occurred in Albania and Surrounding Areas, Poster Presentation, EPOS TCS Seismology Workshop, Montenegro, 2023, https://u.ethz.ch/w4B5h ;
Pondrelli S., European-Mediterranean Regional Centroid-Moment Tensors Catalog (RCMT), Data set, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Italy, 2002, DOI: 10.13127/rcmt/euromed;
Aliaj Sh., Kociu S., Muco B., Sulstarova E., Seismicity, Seismotectonics and the Seismic Hazard Assessment in Albania, Academy of Science of Albania, Albania, 2010, ISBN N/A ;
Ormeni R., Gjuzi O., Hoxha I., Frasheri N., Bozo R., Gega D., Kanani X., Seismicity of Borshi-Kardhiq Fault Zone During This Century, NSG2022 28th European Meeting of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, Serbia, vol. 2022, pp. 1�5, 2022, ISSN 2214-4609, DOI: 10.3997/2214-4609.202220159; https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.202220158
Ormeni R., Structure of P, S Seismic Wave Velocities of the Albanian Earth Lithospheres and its Seismoactive Features, Monograph, Kumi Publications, Albania, 2010, ISBN 978-99956-48-66-4 ;
Ormeni R., Hoxha I., Gjuzi O., Bozo R., Gega D., Kanani X., Mucaj D., Piccardi L., Vittori E., Blumeti A.M., Di Manna P., Comerci V., The Catalogue of Earthquakes Focal Mechanism Occurred in Albania and its Surrounding During 1948 to 2022, NSG2022 28th European Meeting of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, Serbia, vol. 2022, pp. 1�5, 2022, ISSN 2214-4609, DOI: 10.3997/2214-4609.202220159
Institute of Geosciences, Energy, Water and Environment (IGJEUM), Albania. National Seismic Bulletin (2000�2024), Internal Reports ;
Serpetsidaki A., Tselentis G.-A., Martakis N., Sokos E., Seismicity and Seismotectonics Study in Southwestern Albania Using a Local Dense Seismic Network, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, USA, vol. 102, no. 5, pp. 1986�1995, 2012, ISSN 0037-1106, DOI: 10.1785/0120110139;
Kiratzi A.A., Dimakis E., Focal Mechanisms and Slip Models of Moderate Size Earthquakes in Albania and Adjacent Countries, Italian Journal of Geosciences, Italy, vol. 132, no. 2, pp. 186�193, 2013, ISSN 2038-1719, https://doi.org/10.3301/ IJG.2011.33; DOI: 10.3301/ijg.2011.33
Tselentis G.-A., Martakis N., Paraskevopoulos P., Lois A., High-Resolution Passive Seismic Tomography for 3D Velocity, Poisson�s Ratio ?, and P-Wave Quality QP in the Delvina Hydrocarbon Field, Southern Albania, Geophysics, USA, vol. 76, no. 3, pp. B89�B112, 2011, ISSN 0016-8033, DOI: 10.1190/1.3560016;
Palladino G., Giannandrea P., Siniscalchi A., Magr� C., Loiacono F., Quaternary Tectonostratigraphic Evolution of the Vlora Basin, South-Western Albania, Geological Journal, United Kingdom, vol. 53, pp. 1698�1715, 2018, ISSN 0072-1050, DOI: 10.1002/gj.2992
International Seismological Centre (2024), ISC-GEM Earthquake Catalogue, DOI: 10.31905/d808b825.
Albanian Seismological Network (ASN), maintained by the Institute of Geosciences, Energy, Water and Environment (IGJEUM), Albania, https://www.geo. edu.al
Pavlides, S., Kociu, S., Mukelli, P., Hyseni, A., & Zouros, N., Archaeological evidence for recent seismic activity in Butrinti (SW Albania) and neotectonics of the area, Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 311�319, 2001. DOI: 10.12681/bgsg.17028
View or Download full articleAccess options
SWS access login
Login as SWS Scientific CommitteeLogin as SWS Scientific PartnerLogin as SWS AuthorAuthors and approved SWS contributors will read and export their own linked papers after identity matching by SWS profile, email and SGEM GlobalID.
For librarian assistance: [email protected]
Purchase Instant Access
- Article can be downloaded after successful payment.
- Article may be used according to SWS library access terms.
- Article cannot be redistributed.